The global advocacy for strategic human development has intensified for the last 30 years. The developing countries in particular are demonstrating new dynamism to meet the challenges of technological advancement in all walks of life, and also for the fulfillment of human aspirations to acquire their basic civil, political, economic, social and culture rights.
This has been accompanied by emphasis on developmental needs of disadvantaged segments of world population that is women and children.
The issue of women development, no doubt, is being focused for the last 50 years. However, the spectrum of developmental needs of women and children has widened considerably by encompassing therein implications of Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) and also Convention on the rights of children.
Almost 75% of world countries have ratified CEDAW and thereafter committed through Millennium Developmental goal (MDGs) and presently solemnly working on Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) agenda, particularly relating to eradication of gender disparity from all walks of life and to ensure development of women on equity basis.
Pakistan being a signatory to CEDAW has been striving to take affirmative steps for women development to ensure that its female population enjoys due political, civil and socio-economic rights.
The human development in a country is reflected from longevity of life expectancy, rate of literacy and standard of living linked with GDP growth rate. It is however unfortunate in case of Pakistan that due to political instability all efforts undertaken by successive governments in last three decades or so have gone into regression.
This is due to least concern shown for continuity of the programmes / projects by each government succeeding the one which had initiated any programme for betterment of women folk and for safeguarding their basic rights.
The areas where women are subjected to discrimination and their rights are violated are the political, economic, social and technological opportunities.
Women in Pakistan frequently encounter the situation where their civil rights are at stake, specially in family life relating to marriage and reproduction decisions and over and above that gender based violence at home and in community through inhuman customs and traditions of karo kari and honour killings. etc.
For handling such cases of barbarism sporadic efforts of the government and various NGOs in this regard, by giving exemplary punishment to few criminals have not lessened these evils. Instead such incidents are on the increase due to strong hold of feudalism and tribal culture.
It is the reason that despite ongoing advocacy and intervention by Women Status Commission and various NGOs to remedy the situation arising out of cases identified through News Media, could not prevent the shear violence inflicted on poor women.
In order to rectify the situation legal system needs to be made more responsive to the needs of women. Present legal system or, in other words, present code of ethics encompassing Hudud Ordinance and Family Laws due to certain ambiguities resulted in abuse of law by law enforcement agencies, thus flouting women rights. Women Status Commission is vigorously reviewing Hudud Ordinance and other laws to recommend repeal of disputed clauses.
The commission is however facing non - cooperation and hostility from various quarters, yet they must continue to wage war against all discriminatory laws. It is hoped that with the backing of sizable women representation in Assemblies and Senate they will be able to build up enough pressure to put an end to all discriminatory laws.
It is the fact that from the very inception when Pakistan appeared on the world map, successive governments whether duly elected or military backed, supported the idea of having a reasonable women representation in legislative assemblies.
However, it is unfortunate that despite their being almost half of country’s population, the percentage of seats going to women never reached the set goals.
With the advent of present century due to earnest concern shown by military-led government of that time for women development, women status regarding their involvement in politics and their representation as legislators in Provincial and National Assemblies and Senate has improved considerably after revival of reserved seats with enhanced percentage.
Even General seats were contested by a number of women in Election of 2002 and 2013 could win on seats contested with tough competition by their male counterparts. Women representation in local government by 33% and their having 60 & 128 reserved seats in National and Provincial Assemblies, respectively, and allocation of 17 seats in Senate greatly strengthened their position.
Status regarding women access to health and education facilities
All-out gender related developmental efforts of the successive governments for the last 40 years, particularly those aimed at reducing mortality rate through public health intervention programmes on eradication of infectious diseases like tuberculosis, cholera and recent onslaught of Covid-19, have brought results and life expectancy of women and men has now leveled off. However, women still encounter high mortality rate during reproductive age. Main causes are malnutrition, early marriages and high fertility. As such maternal mortality remains one of the highest in the world. According to findings of a study conducted in this regard in 2022, it is 142.11 per 1000 live births.
The government has however endeavored to provide basic health infrastructure throughout the country to ensure common man access to health facilities through Basic Health Units, Rural Health Centers and District hospitals.
However, due to limited budgetary allocations for health (0.7% to 1% of GDP), non - availability of doctors, nurses and other paramedic staff and lack of monitoring and supervision, quite a number of these health units remain inoperative.
Apart from reproductive process-related health issues, women are faced with problems of depression and other mental illnesses due to oppression within the family and also in community, suppressing their basic rights due to stronghold of a peculiar culture and traditions.
In this regard, various NGOs like PAWLA, Aurat Foundation, Behbud and Pakistan Federation of Business & Professional Women are striving to create awareness among women for their civil and legal rights, but they need to put in concerted efforts to organize a countrywide set up of counseling services.
(To be continued)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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